Absorption heating-cooling system

Abstract

An improved heating or cooling system based on absorption principles is disclosed and claimed herein. A closed system is provided with a refrigerant-absorbent solution where separation of the refrigerant-absorbent is accomplished by a semi-permeable membrane. The refrigerant-absorbent solution at its normal concentration is pumped under pressure to a membrane separation unit where the refrigerant is selectively passed through a membrane separator in some proportion while a remaining absorbent enriched refrigerant-absorbent solution is rejected. The membrane separated refrigerant is then circulated through a heat exchange leg of the system for heating and/or cooling of affected areas depending upon the particular treatment of the refrigerant. At the end of the heat exchange leg, the refrigerant is fed to an absorber where it is recombined with the absorbent enriched solution to reconstitute the original refrigerant-absorbent solution which is then recirculated by the pump and the cycle is repeated. The apparatus and process of heat transfer systems utilizing the present membrane separation are claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of effecting heat transfer in a closed system containing a refrigerant-absorbent solution comprising the steps of: a. subjecting said refrigerant-absorbent solution under pressure to a semi-permeable membrane and osmotically separating by pressure differential the refrigerant from said solution thereat, while rejecting absorbent;   b. treating the separated refrigerant to effect a heat transfer in an affected area;   c. passing treated refrigerant, and the rejected absorbent enriched solution from said membrane to an absorber;   d. recombining the refrigerant and the absorbent enriched solution; and   e. pumping said recombined refrigerant-absorbent solution to said membrane, and repeating the cycle.   
     
     
       2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the refrigerant-absorbent solution exhibits a large negative deviation from Raoult's Law. 
     
     
       3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the separated refrigerant during heat exchange treatment, is subjected to an expansion operation after which it is evaporated to cool said area. 
     
     
       4. The method as defined in claim 3 wherein the refrigerant vapor from said evaporator is passed to said absorber. 
     
     
       5. The method as defined in claim 4 wherein the refrigerant vapor is compressed prior to entry to said absorber to achieve an increased pressure level. 
     
     
       6. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the absorbent enriched solution is subjected to expansion to reduce its pressure prior to passage into said absorber. 
     
     
       7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the membrane is selected from the class consisting of neutral organic and hyperfiltration membranes. 
     
     
       8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the refrigerant-absorbent mixture is characterized by a large deviation from Raoult's Law, an affinity to absorb a vapor of one constituent into the solution, and bond characteristics that are capable of being broken by osmotic pressure. 
     
     
       9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said separated refrigerant is subjected to at least one further membrane separation. 
     
     
       10. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said solution is pumped to said membrane at a pressure in the range of 200 to 20,000 pounds per square inch absolute.